Not So Sisterly Love
by glisana2
Summary: Emma's confused over her feelings about Luke. What happens when she reminds him he's not really a part of the Ross family- not by blood anyways and Luke takes it hard. Can she make him feel better- or is that just throwing herself deeper into the fire?
1. Chapter 1

I'll be the first to admit it; it was wrong the way I felt about Luke. He was my brother- adopter, but still my brother never the less. He had been with the Ross family since he was five.

I still remember when I was six and Mom and Dad told me I was getting a brother. I had thought she was pregnant. Imagine my surprise when I came home from kindergarten and there was a boy sitting on the couch, suitcase in hand. My parents thought he was the cutest thing ever- and that infuriated me. I, and I alone, was the the cutest thing ever, not some black haired, freckled faced little boy from Detroit with a dead mother and an abusive father. I made it my mission throughout the ten years he had been living here to make his life miserable. The worst part was, though, it didn't faze him. Actually, he liked it! And tortured me right back by being the cute baby of the family until Ravi and Zuri were adopted.

I had to watch him grow up- physically, not mentally- He still acted like he was five most of the time. Even I had to admit though, he had grown up to be a pretty hot fifteen year old. His freckles had faded out and he grew out his dark hair, cutting it in that really cute way that seemed to make his blue eyes really shine. It mad me even more mad! It was impossible to sit in the same room with him and not want to just kiss him or something.

"Emma!" Luke's blood-curtailing scream was no doubt heard around the whole building. I smiled. It appeared that he had just discovered my revenge for him swapping out my deodorant for itching powder.

"Yes, Luke?," I ask, oh-so innocently. He glared at me as I walked down the stairs. His black hair covered one eye, making him seem more sinister than he really was. His plaid shirt was undone, revealing his abs and his ripped jeans screamed 'I'm so cool! Look at me!'. In his hand were multiple copies of the pictures I passed out at school today.

"Why would you do this? Do you know how bad this'll ruin my rep? The guys are already laughing at me!" He threw the papers at me once I reached the landing. All of them were the same picture of my blue-eyed, little, bad-boy brother cuddling in bed with his stuffed kola Kenny. "I can't believe you would do something so low! I'm telling Mom and Dad. Be ready for the grounding of your life. You know how they are about reputations."

Unbelievable. He was going to get me in trouble for getting back at him! What the heck! And they weren't going to go easy on me- I knew that now. They were fine with all our petty pranks as long as they stayed inside the house. We were famous and one wrong move could completely destroy everything they had worked so hard for. So I used the only comeback I could think of to get me out of it; "I know how _my_ parents are about it. _Your's _on the other hand- I've never met. I doubt they'd care much though."

Luke looked down at me- seeings as he'd grown to be about five inches taller than me, even in my heels- big, blue eyes shining. His lip quivered. It seemed so out of place on his rugged handsomeness. I hadn't seen him cry in at least three years, before he really hit puberty. He pulled his backpack from the ground and pushed past me, making his way up the stairs.

"Luke! Wait! I'm sorry!" I tried calling out his name several more times, but he didn't respond. I heard his bedroom door slam shut and I sighed. That had been really mean. He couldn't help it that he was adopted.

Just then the elevator _pinged _ and Zuri came into the room. Her green dress fluttered around her as she walked and her little Afro ponytail bounced behind her. "Hey Emma," she said, pulling out one of the earphones to her iPod. "Forget to pick somebody up from school today?," She asked.

My eyes widened. "Oh Zuri! I'm so sorry! I totally forgot."

"It's okay," she said, waving her hand. "You're a blonde. What can I expect? Besides, all I had to do was call Jessie and have her pick me up. She was in the middle of yoga or something."

I laughed. "You know this year is probably the last year for Jessie, right? Your getting a little old for her."

"Yeah, but Luke still likes her, so it keeps her a job." I couldn't help but laugh. Zuri could be so intelligent at some points and so totally innocent at others. Then I remembered; Luke.

"Yeah," I mumbled racing up the steps to Luke's room and Zuri stared up at me confused. And racing isn't exactly easy in five inch heels. But beauty hurts. When I reached his door I entered without knocking, knowing he'd never let me in if I asked for permission.

"Luke, I'm sorry," I begin, before I see him. He was laying on his bed, face up, arms folded across his chest, staring at the ceiling. "Luke?"

For a few seconds he doesn't move, then finally he turns to me. "What do you want," he asks, irritated. I sat down next to him. My butt sunk down into the mattress.

"I'm sorry," I tell him for like the fiftieth time. I wan't thinking. Your just as much a part of this family as I am."

"No I'm not," he muttered. "You were right. They're not my parents. My mom died of an overdose and my dad liked to beat the crap outta me. I'm not really part of this family. I'm part of the other one, messed up as it it. Maybe that's why I'm messed up too. It runs in the blood."

I stared down at him. His face was grim and his eyes were dark, angry. "That's a lie!," I cried, reaching down and grabbing Luke by the shoulders. "Your not messed up and you haven't been part of them for ten years."

Luke sat up, my hands still wrapped around his shoulder blades. He reached up and removed them. "Look, Emma. I love them all. Mom, Dad, Zuri, Ravi, and even you kind of- but I don't belong here. You were right!"

I slapped him, hopping it stung as much as his comment about not loving me did. I knew he meant it in the family way- but I didn't want to take it that way. "I wasn't right! And what were you planning on doing, anyways? Your fifteen," I remind him. "You can't even drive."

Luke cradled his cheek, glaring at me again. "I don't know," he admitted.

"Besides," I started. "I would miss you if you left." Luke stared down at me, the anger draining from his eyes. "Really?" he asked, shocked. I nodded.

"You're my little brother- even if you weren't born that way. I'd miss you if you left just as much as I would miss Ravi or Zuri. Is that really too hard to wrap around your big skull?" Luke smiled. I wish I could tell him why I would really miss him. I don't think I could manage without seeing his black hair or too-blue eyes every day. And I would miss his occasional random outbursts of break- dancing, something he was amazing at. Plus, I would miss our fights. They're kind of what make me want to wake up everyday, wondering what dumb prank he had planned for that day. I couldn't tell Luke any of that though.

"Thanks, Emma. And I was kidding. I really do love you." _'Love you more,'_ I whispered in my head.

I sat there though, unable to move, staring into Luke's eyes. Something flowed between us, though I might have just imagined that. Luke sarted to lean forward, closing the distance between our faces. I sat there, shell-shocked, unsure what to do and not fully aware of what he was doing. Surly, he wasn't going to kiss me. He was my brother, after all.

When he was about a fraction of an inch away though, the door opened and Ravi's head popped in. Luke threw his head backwards and away from mine, eyes wide.

"Luke," Ravi said in his Indian-accented voice, fully oblivious as to what had just happened. "I just got 'War Zone 5. Would you like to play?" Luke shook his head. "Uh, no thanks. Not right now."

The thirteen year old shrugged. "I'll be in my room if you change your mind." Ravi had gotten to be pretty cute too, but in a more awkward way. He was tall for his age, almost as tall as Luke, who was still pretty tall. Ravi's dark hair, skin, and eyes gave him an exotic look compared to the other guys at school. We went to a privet, more upscale school so it was less racially diverse than alot of New York schools.

"Okay!," Luke called back. After Ravi shut the door behind him Luke wouldn't look at me. I was confused as to what just happened. Did Luke _like_ me. Like, in a way brothers and sisters shouldn't like each other?


	2. Chapter 2

Luke stood up. "I guess-" His voice cracked, and he tried to suppress it with a cough. He started again. "I guess I should go help Ravi with his game. He's probably failing bad."  
I nodded, rising to my feet. "And I'd better get to Zuri's tea party. Milly probably flaked out on her again." Luke smiled at my reference to Milly the Mermaid, Zuri's long-time imaginary friend.  
I smoothed out my pink skirt which had wrinkled from sitting on the bed and straitened my blouse. I've got to look fancy for a tea party. Even the play type.  
"Zuri's getting a little too old for tea parties," Luke said in an effort to clear out the slightly awkward atmosphere of the room.  
Shrugging, I walked to the door. "It makes her happy. Besides," I say as I opened the bedroom door. "Zuri has always been a strange child."  
"Hey!," A small voice called from the hall. ."I take offense to that." I looked around to see Zuri paused by her bedroom door, stuffed bear in hand, dressed in some of her finer evening wear. The purple dress hugged her small frame, flowing out at the waist in a flutter of sparkles and lavender. Around her neck was the diamond necklace Mom gave her for her birthday and a matching tiara adorned her black bun of hair.  
"Oh, don't deny it," I say. "But that's what makes you so awesome." Luke nodded in agreement, joining us in the hall.  
"Luke!" Zuri said, rushing over to us, big, brown, puppy dog eyes activated. "Would you like to join Lady Emma and myself for a glorious tea party at the castle? Sir Wuffton the Third is supposedly on the guest list." I looked down at her hands. They were covered by long, white evening gloves. I smiled down at her. She was so unique.  
Luke looked like a deer caught in a headlight. Tea parties weren't really weren't his thing. He didn't really want to hurt Zuri's feelings though. Finally Luke sighed. "Do I have to wear a suit?" Zuri smiled, nodding her head yes.  
"Fine. I have to go tell Ravi I won't be able to play for a while though," Luke said, head hung in defeat. Zuri jumped up and clapped, her dress floating around her.  
Luke sulked into Ravi's room, shutting the door behind him. He sighed loudly from behind the door, making sure we could hear it. Zuri giggled.  
I then went into my room to prepare for the party. I searched around in my closet, looking for something that would make Luke want me, yet still be decent enough for Zuri's semi-young eyes. Finally, I found it, tucked away at the back of my closet.  
"Hello there, Gorgeous," I said to my reflection in the mirror. My blonde waves were pulled up in the an elaborate bun, with just a few strands left down on ethier side to frame my face. The blue-stone of the necklace that hung around my throat made my grey-blue eyes shine and matched the diamond studs I had placed in my earlobes.  
My dress was a light shade of silver that nearly crossed the border into baby blue and was covered in tiny sparkles and diamonds. It was strapless and the top-half clung to my body tightly-almost too tightly- and show cased every curve, including my breasts. It flowed out from the waist down, however, allowing it an almost princess-like feel, and giving it back the innocence that the top-half had nearly stolen. I finished the look with a pair of glass heels.  
"How very Cinderella of you, Emma," I giggled to myself as I crossed the length of my room and exited into the hall.  
Bertram stood in front of Zuri's door, completely done up in his butler uniform. His expression clearly said, 'I hate my life.' I wanted to laugh, but it seemed mean.  
From somewhere behind him Bertram pulled out a horn and blew it. "Lady Emma has arrived," he said loudly, returning the horn to it's previous place behind him.  
Zuri opened the door slowly. "Lady Emma," she said, voice low with feigned authority. "You are late. Lord Luke is already here."  
"I'm sorry, your majesty. You see, I had to prepare for an occasion as grand as this. And that takes time when your my age."  
Zuri gave me the once-over, examining me. Finally she nodded and smiled, the gap between her front teeth on full display. "Well, Lady, you look beautiful. Sir Wuffton the Third is supposedly looking for a new wife. I could seat you next to him if you'd like." Zuri moved out of the doorway, allowing me entrance.  
Slowly I walked into the room. There was an intake of breath from the corner of the room where Zuri's tea set was set up.  
There sat Luke, dressed up in the suit he wore to home coming, black hair brushe out of his eyes for once, staring at me. I suppressed a smile. He blinked twice then looked away. It made me wonder if maybe he hadn't really been staring at me at all. Probably just glancing over me as Zuri had done. Something a brother would do. That thought hurt. I swallowed back the pain and walked to the tea table, taking a seat between Sir Wuffton, Zuri's prized stuff dog and Count Chocula, the stuffed vampire doll I had won for her at the school carnival. It also happened to be right across from Luke.  
"Nice dress," Luke murmured nonchalantly. "Never seen it before."  
I smiled up at him. "I was saving it for a special occasion. I got it in Detroit when we went there a few years ago." I paused, regretting my words. Mentioning Detroit reminded Luke of his life Pre-Ross. "I forgot what we went there for though." No I didn't. We had gone there for a check up with the adoption agency, making sure he was doing alright still. Luke knew it too, I could tell by the flash of pain in his icy blue eyes.  
We were both silent for a second. Then Zuri took her at beside Luke. "Don't you just love Sir. Wuffton's new blazer, Emma?" She poured the tea, lifting her eyebrows repeatedly at me. "He bought it with the inheritance he received from his grandmother's passing." I stared down at Zuri, a little creeped out. Why does she imagine things like that?  
I nodded, hiding my discomfort. "It's very nice. Don't you think so, Luke?" Luke looked at the stuffed animal and grunted. Zuri rolled her eyes and took a seat. She grabbed the teapot and began pouring the tea. Luke was the first to down a few drinks.

Once she finished pouring, she crossed her hands in front of her. "Now that I have the two of you here together with me, I'd like to make an announcement." She paused for a moment and looked at both Luke and I. "I have a boyfriend," she then concluded.

Suddenly, Luke spit out his tea and began coughing. "What?," he managed to sputter out. "Zuri, you're ten. Boys still have cooties."

Zuri glared and stuck out her tongue. "I'm not stupid, Luke. I'm old enough for a boyfriend. Plus he's _really _cute."

I couldn't help my giggles. It was so cute. Zuri had her first boyfriend. Luke's eyes were wide, like her couldn't believe what he was hearing. I watched as his fingers clenched around the tea cup handle, playing the typical 'big brother' role. It was so cute. No! I did not just think that. _Control your thoughts Emma..._

"Well," Luke said, setting down his cup rather roughly. "Tell this boy that your big brother would like to meet him."

Zuri pursed her lips and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh Luke! How would you like it if you got a girlfriend and Emma insisted on meeting her just cause she's your big sister? It would be mortifying, right? You'd never put a girl through that."

Luke was silent, as was I. The thought of Luke getting a girlfriend made me see red a little, for some reason. It's because I don't want my little brother to get a girlfriend, I told myself. Yeah, that was totally it. My eyes slid over to look at Luke. Surprisingly, he was also looking at me, face red.

"See," Zuri said, laughing. "It would be embarrassing."

Luke turned his gaze away from mine. "Yeah. I guess it would. That doesn't mean I don't want to meet this boy though." As the words passed through his lips, Zuri sighed.


End file.
